A few weeks ago, I finally got my shiny new bike. I'd ordered it via the Bikes4Work scheme (a funky government approved tax dodge for bikes that you use at least some of the time for cycling to work), but as I'd picked a new model, it took a while longer than the others to turn up.

A couple of times now this summer, I've cycled to the station, got the train out to Charlbury, cycled on to the office, and done the reverse on the way home. Today, having cycle-train-cycle'd into work, I decided to try cycling all the way home.

Having looked at a map, I'd guessed the route to be about 28km. It ended up being almost exactly 19 miles (30.5km), so I wasn't too far off.

Leaving the office, there are quite a few hills on the way out to Stonesfield. Despite this, I managed to fly through the centre after only 16 minutes. On to Woodstock is mostly just gentle climbs and falls, except for the dip down to the river in Woodstock itself. So, I managed to get to centre in only 30 minutes, which I didn't think was too bad!

Having done the cycle between Oxford and Woodstock before, I knew what to expect. It's largely flat (very gentle rise and fall), and almost all the way on cycle routes. After a brief pause, I headed on, and made it to the canal at about 46 minutes. A quick dash along there put me in Wolvercote for 52 minutes, where I took a pause for a mars bar :)

The final stretch down Woodstock Road into town, then Iffley Road back out went surprisingly well, given the distance I'd already done. I pulled onto Broad Street a little over the hour mark, and was home inside 1 hour 20 minutes (the cycle computer gave a cycling time of 1:11:18, but that didn't count the water stops)

All in all, a very nice summers evening ride. I'm not sure I'd want to do it on the way into work though!